Year: 2015

Following chefs playing with food in Grythyttan, going roadtriping Norway with mom, backpacking Europe with the boyfriend, spending a weekend in Athens enjoying a beach wedding, dressing up in medieval garments on Gotland, chasing brides on Iceland, checking out Moravia and exploring winter in Småland. 2015, a year full of surprises. ” ZERO vacation days left ” Every year I have come to dread the year resume. This is my third in the blogging world, not so much compared to many but still enough to give me anxiety. You might think the anxiety is due to the fact that the year is already over and I am turning 32 next year, but this isn´t the case. The case really is to much stories to tell, to little time and in the year resume case, to little space. Lola give the solution in her resume ”You have to kill your darlings”. This means to kill your photos, which I am V E R Y bad at. So after a dreadful day of not only the flu (which I …

*Squeak*, the snow below my new brown leather shoes is crunching, as if the weather was ment to arrive with my new boots. Now wait, it most likely is the other way arround. I bought the shoes to fit the weather. Ah, yes *lightbulb*. Every year it is the same way around, a struggle to find comfortable warm and good looking shoes suited for my forest endeavours. At least I timed it well this year and managed to buy them before a long forest walk and some photography before heading home to Stockholm. The boots wasn´t the only thing I got for Christmas but one of the few things I got for myself. Here are some Christmas gifts I got. I like that when getting older, you tend to get gift you actually use. Like people now you better when you are older. Christmas presents Best places to be and the Ultimate Travel list, by Lonely planet, from the boyfriend. Travel gifts are the best! A necklace by Susanna, M´s stephmom Handcream and footcream for reaaaallly dry …

”Katarina, Katarina – look outside”. My eyes flicker, I try to get them to focus but have a hard time seeing anything. It is 7 o´clock and as always Martin jumped out of bed earlier than me. I manage a ”What is it?” looking up and seeing his face staring out the window, continuing ”Is it snow?”. A small ”yes” form on his lips. Stepping out of bed looking out wakes me up immediately and I hop out into the garden (dressed only in my pyjamas and my fake fur) by pure excitement. I look over my shoulder to see if a neighbour is watching me. When secure I shoot some photos of the small snowflakes coming down on my parents garden. Squeeky snow builds on the grass and I smile, happy that winter finally is here. There is something magical about the snow. Some don´t like it at all, but I think if I didn´t get to experience it every year I would miss it. I have never missed a year with snow! …

Small sunbeams pushes through the pines and the turquoise water ripple behind them when we approach the beach. No one could ever imagine December being like this in Sweden but I am just happy to see the sun and don´t think much about it. Stepping out on the fine grained, white sand the wind catches my hair and it is just one word that comes to mind. Peace. I always have a hard time stopp taking photos of beaches. I tend to find all beaches amazing in their own way. Of course I dream of the beaches of New Zeeland more than I dream about the beaches close to home, but the ones close to home (that will say Sweden) is underestimated. Just look at it. Some other beaches that me lens came across. Beaches. Varamon Varamon beach is Swedens biggest lake beach with it´s 500m stretch of sand along Vättern. Since the photographer Helena Gunnare, my friend, lives in Mottala, it felt compulsory to take a look at this long stretch of sand when I visited …

There is something special with the woods. The air, the colors, the non exiting sound or the sound of silence. The sound of the birds, of the woodpecker that nagg us on with its constant and loud peck our the squirrel with its fluffy read tail, running over the road when walking the small pats deep in the forest. Some just think them to be rats, but I adore them. photo shot by Helena Gunnare with the blog ohdarling.org It is easier to find peace in the forest, I think you might agree. Or else why does we humans tend to try to move out into to wild whenever we get the chance? It is not for the fantastic hamburgers and possibility to head to the cinemas at least. But maybe or most likely it is the romantic feeling of living close to nature. The creation of the national parks For me the forest bring me peace. Especially when moving to Stockholm a day or two in a deep forest like Tiveden is cleansing for the sould. …

Some pictures say more than a thousand words. I must say that a road trip for two days with the perfect winter weather two weeks ago might have saved my soul. For what weather surrounds us today on Christmas Day, rain?, greyishness? and an upcoming storm?. Lets hope it doesn´t reach us this time but it is fair to say that the winter weather in Sweden have started to act up on us. But let us not think about catastrophes, bad weather and climate change today though. I hope these pictures soothe your Christmas soul and give you strength for next year and it´s challenges. Katarina ”It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.” Robert Louis Stevenson Photos shot with Canon 5 D Mark iii, Sigma 50mm Art lens, ed Lightroom.

In the middle of the forest close to Tivedens nationalpark and entrance Helena spotted this golden road in the rearview mirror. Straight roads makes the perfect photo opportunities so I imeditaly hit the breaks and we jump out of the car for some some walking up and down the road taking much more photos then necessary session. Katarina Photos shot with Canon 5D Mark iii, Sigma 50mm Art lens.

Location: Stenkällegården, Bocksjön. Heading from Askersund to Karlsborg, taking right driving 2km towards Stenkällegården (Tivedens National Park). West side of Vättern. Katarina The photos The photos down below of me is shot and edited by Helena. The rest is shot by me, as always with my Canon 5D Mark iii and edited in lightroom. This photos was shot during a weekend trip and for this I brought two lenses, Canon 24-105 mm f.4 and Sigma 50 mm Art f1.4. Helena shot her photos with Canon 5D Mark ii and Sigma 24mm Art, Tamron 70-200 f2.8, Canon 50 mm f1.4 as well as Canon 85mm f1.8.

During the weekend me and Helena, ohdarling.org went on a short roadtrip along the shoreline of Vättern and our third stop Saturday was Koviken, a halting place on road 49 going south from Askersund towards Karlsborg (reserve capital of Sweden). We stopped for some sunny shots of Vätterns west side. Katarina photos of me, shot by Helena The photos Photos of me is shot and edited by Helena. The rest is shot by me, as always with my baby Canon 5D Mark iii and edited in lightroom. During this weekend trip I brought two lenses, Canon 24-105 mm f.4 and Sigma 50 mm Art f1.4. Helena shot her photos with Canon 5D Mark ii and Sigma 24mm Art, Tamron 70-200 f2.8, Canon 50 mm f1.4 as well as Canon 85mm f1.8.

Last weekend me and Helena Gunnare with the blog Ohdarling headed for a roadtrip along the coast of Vättern. Vättern is the second largest lake of Sweden and situated in the south of Sweden. We spend two days shooting photographs around the lake and here are our second stop, a random field by the road. There will come more inspirational photos from this trip coming later. Katarina Photos of me is shot and edited by Helena – look further down to know more about the equipment we used. Helena, as seen above, love her black outfits. I wear a mustard coloured scarf I got from my mother, an old old cap, an old hunters/forest jacket I bough second hand, gloves hand knitted from a market in Cusco and a camerabag from minimalism. The photos Photos of me including head photo is shot and edited by Helena. The rest is shot by me, as always with my baby Canon 5D Mark iii and edited in lightroom. During this weekend trip I brought to lenses, Canon 24-105 mm f.4 and …

When I hear ”new” I tend to listen. When I hear ”new” and ”food” in the same sentence I tend to listen even more. Have you been to Teatern in Stockholm? A couple of weekends ago Daniel and Martin told me that they wanted to try out a new food court at Ringen, Södermalm, and of course I said ”Oh, yes please”. The food at Teatern Food, copper and fancy lighting is the first thing that struck me. Strolling around the round food theatre there is fast food sausage and mushed potatoes from Fäviken (Magnus Nilsson), ramen from Adam and Albin, deserts from K-Märkt Garnisonen (Daniel Roos) and much more. Fancy pancy fast food, to speak frankly. Price, comfort and vegetarian dishes 125 sek for a hot dog of Magnus Nilsson/Fäviken says a lot. But is it worth it? It is sure cool to look at all people at work and have food at the same time. Must say that I think that food courts is a price worthy alternative to begin with and even …

Christmas is here! .. Or maybe no. But if to believe the vendors at Slussen, the graffiti on Södermalm or the lighting at t-centralen, it has arrived. It is just to bad about the snow, isn´t it? Saturday we headed for a tour starting at Shanti and Indian food ending at T – centralen admiring the lighting. This is my Saturday in pictures. The vendors at Slussen. The bikes at Södermalms torg, Slussen. Oscar, in the metro. Outside the restaurant Shanti across the street, Södermalm. Passing the graffiti on Södermalm. Passing Skrapan on Götgatan Södermalm. Medborgarplatsen or as said by locals ”Medis”. An empty beer on Hökens gata. The view from Katarina hissen and Gondolen overlooking Stockholm and Slussen. A beer at Beefeater Inn. Taking a selfie at Beefeater Inn. Laughing behind Oscars back for his funny look when looking at himself in the mirror. Walking from Slussen towards Gamla Stan. Corner Club and the Flying Elk. Trying out Poppel 007, beer made from redcurrants. Tasty! Inhaling the Christmas spirit in Gamla Stan. Heading from …

My first thought was ”What are you saying??” next ”What do you mean?” and then ”Is this a joke?”. This is when Martin mentioned Omnipollos hatt. It felt like a toy store and who knew it was a bar? Walking the fifty metres from the subway exit I´m soon there. On Hökens gata you can find one of Stockholms best beer and pizza places. Everybody talks about it and I therefore I think it is worth its own post. Have you guys ever been to Omnipollos? A happy Oscar in the window. The first time I went was when I was invited by Martin through facebook to a guest play at Omnipollos by the restaurant Oaxen, a restaurant with 2 stars in the guide Michelin. After getting past believing it was a toy store, luxury pizza and cool beer felt as the best thing on a Sunday. I get my pizza and dig in. Oh my G*O*D. I am not a particular lover of pizzas but this pizza is something extra. Friday after work Camilla suggest …

Darkness, only lights from the windows lighting up the city. When winter arrives so does the darkness. I don´t seem to manage ever to get out in daylight anymore, barely during lunch at work, even then it is dark some of the days. I get increasingly tired, day by day, it seems like you are eaten up by darkness from inside. Even though we are tired we manage to continue to work everyday. Like zombies we head for the subway, get on it and are off to work. In the afternoon everybody looks at the clock, its four and time to go. This particular day it is time for the annual celebration with Christmas food. For once I am looking forward to it. From work we take the subway to Slussen and from there the ferry to Djurgården. For me, the first time on a ferry in Stockholm, except from the short ride in Hammarby Sjöstad that I am not sure counts. It´s windy and when the ferry hits the break close to it´s goal …

Farsta is an ABC- centre from the 50s in Stockholm. ArbeteBostadCentrum which translate WorkLivingCentre is an Swedish city planning idea where people should be able to live, work and shop in a concentrated area to reduce distance. Read more here. At the moment it is in Farsta I work and this are some snaps I took during my lunchbreak last week when speaking to the local indian restaurant guy, my favorite lunch place, located below the subway in the middle of the bus stop. He told me that he every year let youngsters color the back of his small restaurant because then they wont scribble on it. ”If it is graffiti there they will leave it be”. Now I am off to work! Katarina

The weather has been a bit odd lately, cold and rainy mostly, and there is a total lack of sunshine. It is just grey. Sweden has its grey period. It comes every year but we seem to believe that it wont and are chocked when it does. Rainy weather a side this week has been filled with fun Tuesday- Bought a pair of Näbbskor and went to a Better bloggers meet on Scandic Clara Wednesday – julbord (christmas food) with work on Skansen Thursday – the travel girls Annika and Lisa released their travel pod Att Resa Podden giving us a travel pod worth listening to, finally Tuesday I attended the bbt meet with Konsumentverket where Konsumentverket informed us bloggers about new guidelines for commercial material in blogs. The meet was a start up for the campaign #JagSmygerInte. #jagsmygerinte The campaign is about taking a stand as a blogger against hidden commercials and want bloggers to be more clear about whats commercials and not on our blogs. According to Konsumentverket there isn’t really any difference between …

attresapodden.se My friends and fellow travel bloggers Annika with Resfredag and Lisa with the blog Livet från den Ljusa sidan have released a podcast about travel. Finally. Finally! A podcast about travel. I listened to part one on the subway home from work this Thursday and Annika and Lisa where speaking about travel and their first backpacking trip, giving their mothers a scare when heading abroad alone for several months. In the middle of their talk my mother called, like she heard my thoughts. The first episode was about backpacking, inspiring travelers, different kind of travelers as the camper/glamper (a luxury version of the camper), the culture traveler, the gourmand, the backpacker, the charter traveler, the cabin family, the adventurer and more. I so look forward to next episodes. Finally a travel pod for me! Next pod will be in two weeks and will focus around celebrating christmas abroad. The aim is one episode every two week and to invite guest in the future. Head to podcasts in your iphone and search for Att Resa …